Local HS senior’s message to future grads: ‘What is your why?’

Erick Cruz, a senior at Making Waves Academy and journalism student, penned an article that sends a wise message to fellow local high school seniors who are in the process of deciding on colleges and majors. We are happy to post his piece in the Richmond Standard:

By Erick Cruz

As May 1 approaches, many high school seniors are in the process of receiving admissions letters from colleges that they are anticipating on attending for the Fall 2017 semester. Although making the decision of going to college is anything but easy, knowing your reason for going makes it a bit easier.

“What is your why?” is one of the most inspirational things any person has ever come to ask me about my reason for going to college.

Quite honestly, I had never given much thought to what it would be like once I got into a college or university. Upon being asked this question by one of my college counselors, I found myself a bit anxious, because I did not have a plan outlined for what I would do once I arrived to college.

After reflecting for a short period of time, I came to realize that “My Why,” for going to college was just as important as deciding what college or university I would come to attend. “My Why,” would outline and provide a vision for me and guide me towards my ultimate goal when I arrived to college, to graduate and make a change in this world.

Being a first-generation, low income student, I knew that I would one day want to attend college. Like many, however, I knew that this journey would not be easy. Seeing those in my community fall victim to gun and drug violence, I knew that obtaining an education was the only way I could come to help my community.

Being asked “What is your why?” opened up my eyes to a whole new perspective. It was as if someone told me “Alright, you want to go to college, you want to graduate, you want to make a change, but in what ways do you plan on making this happen with your college level education?”

Rigorous questions such as “What is your why?” have made me reflect on my plans for going to college. They have shown me that going to college is one thing, but graduating and leaving an impact in my community are on a whole other level. Therefore I leave all current high school students who are in the process of deciding what college they will attend, or what major they will plan to study with this, “What is your why?” Only after you are able to answer this question confidently and proudly, will you be able to say what your goal for college is and what you look to get out of your college experience.

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